Improvement in bee-hives



H. A. KING.

Improvement in Bee Hives.-

No. 124,962. Patented March 26,1872

HOMER A. KING, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENl IN BEEHIVES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 124,962, dated March 26, 187?.

SPECIFIOATION.

I, HOMER A. KING, of New York, in the county and State of N ey r York, have invented a new and Improved Bee-Hive, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to an improved plan of constructing an d operating hives, as set forth in the following description: A

Referrin g to the drawing, Figure 1 is a per spective view of one-half of a quadruple hive with a double set of comb-frames. Fig. 2 represents half of a quadruple hive with the sliding case moved to the center of the hive, and having boxes for surpls honey on either side. Fi g. 3 is avertical section of the complete quadruple hiveth at is, Fig. 2 set on top of Fig. 1 cut through the line 00 91:. Fig. 4 is a detached view of a sliding case, having a cut-off slide. Fig. 5 is a detached view of a false comb-frame.

A is a base board. B B is the outer case of the hive. (J is a sliding case. D D are combframes; E, surplus honey-boxes. F is a cutoff slide. The bottom board A is oblong, and is somewhat longer than the hive. It should be set on scantling, with one end a few inches higher than the other, so that when the hive is covered with boards the water would run off. The half-hives, Figs. 1 and 2, maybe used separately or both together, as either one will fit on the top of the other. It may thus be used with four sets of frames, or with three sets of frames and two sets of honeyboxes, as shown in Fig. 2, the bees passing between the ends of all the frames, through the spaces in the sliding case into the boxes. This is much bet ter than using boxes at the side of the combframes. When using only two sets of frames with the sliding frame cases at the center, honey-boxes may be placed above each other, at both ends of the cases, in both the upper and lower hive, those in the upper resting on a mov able board, Gr and when only one set of frames is used in the center of the lower half, boxes may be placed both at the ends and on top of the frames. By moving both sliding cases to the end of the hive and using four sets of frames, honey can be taken in large quantities by using the honey-extractor; and when the honey season is passed, the halves may be separated, and a queen reared for the queenless part. When there is honey enough for four swarms the division-boards can be dropped into the open spaces in the end of the sliding cases, between the ends of the frames, cutting off the communication from each set of frames, thus making four stocks of bees without the neccssity of constructing new hives for the purpose, and separatin g the bees. In poor seasons, when stocks are weak and deficient in honey, a wire cloth may be laid over the weak stock, and another one set over it for a few hours until the upper one partakes of the scent of the lower one; then reverse the position of the two swarms, and they can soon be united into one stock, with the heaviest cards of honey from the two stocks, alfording an abundance for one stock through a winter. Vhen the honey sea son opens the next spring, by gradually adding boxes or frames until the complete hive is filled, and then being careful to remove the boxes as fast as filled, and honey from frames, thehive can generally be rendered a nonswarm ing hive.

It is obvious the case B can be constructed long enough to hold more frames and boxes, or one set of frames hung in the center with boxes on either side-without the slidin g case, and still contain some of the features of this invention.

I do not, however, claim, broadly, the use of honey-boxes in a case at the ends of the frames, but only when used with cases that may be used one upon another.

When the bees occup y only one set of frames they should be placed in the sliding case at one end of the hive, and the opening cut ofl' through the double partition at the other end of the case by iuserting a cut-oif board, when the stock will be separated from the outer case by a dead-air space all around the hive.

In order to easilyremove the first frame from the case when all are filled I use the false frame ir at one side of the case, which is easily removed, giving space to remove the other frames, which would otherwise be removed with difficulty when the combs were not built true and straight. When it is desired to use the hive With frames below and boxes above the lower half, as in Fig. 1, it may contain a double set of frames, each containing a stock of bees separated by the out-off slide F, and boxes set directly over the frames and covered with a case, A, without the sliding case.

Having thus described my invention, what entire swarm may be kept as one, the parts B B separated into two independent hives, and

,.either or both again divided into two distinet swarms, as fully set forth and described.

HOMER A. KING.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. ROTHWELL, W. H, FINCKEL. 

